


The Right Time (2000)

by lucasquinn



Series: Sharing a World [8]
Category: Primeval, Temeraire - Naomi Novik
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Gen, dragon!AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-29
Updated: 2013-10-29
Packaged: 2017-12-30 20:46:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1023197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucasquinn/pseuds/lucasquinn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The best things are worth waiting for.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Right Time (2000)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a big jump into the AU world. Primeval but actually set in the future of the Temeraire Universe. There are still anomalies, there's still a team and there is even a research centre (yet unnamed). There has also been a slight twist in evolution somewhere along the line and one more sentient species shares the Earth with humans, dragons. Thanks to fredbassett all fics so far posted have been betaed.
> 
> One last thing, I might not have mentioned it in the intro but the number next to the title is the year the story takes place in since I tend to jump around in the timeline with this.

The large clearing was crowded with four colourful dragons, scales shining in the sun of a late winter’s morning. The three smaller beasts were pacing around in various degrees of nervousness, long tails sweeping the ground restlessly as they waited. The fourth dragon, a red middle-weight with several scars marring his hide, was instead sprawled out comfortably taking in the warmth of the unseasonal sun.

From behind half closed eyelids, Flint observed the three younglings work themselves into nervous wrecks and resisted the urge to chuckle, remembering quite clearly his own first Pairing Ceremony over thirty years before. As always the thought of his first Captain gave the dragon’s heart a painful squeeze. Ten years after William’s death the ache sometimes still felt as fresh as it had been when he’d watched his Captain’s strong body slowly being ravaged by the cancer that had eventually killed him.

The quick, and a little too close for comfort, swipe of a long black tail distracted Flint from his maudlin thoughts. “Gostegion would you mind not trying to take my eye out with that?” The red dragon snorted black tendrils of smoke from his nostrils and he looked pointedly at the vicious spikes protruding from the youngling’s long tail.

The smaller dragon flinched in embarrassment and wrapped her tail closely around herself. “Sorry Flint, I didn’t mean ...”

“Yes, I know you didn’t child but you have to keep yourself under control,. Imagine if there were humans around us right now. The way you’re waving your tail around like a house-cat would have sent them all flying into the air.” The firebreather’s deep voice reproached the smaller dragon gently.

Gostegion’s head drooped down. “I know, it’s just a feeling … Nothing like I’ve ever felt before, not even when I broke my shell and crawled out of my egg. Like I can’t stay still and I really don’t want to, because my future captain is just out there past those trees and what if I choose wrong? What if I don’t see him or her in the crowd? Humans are so small! Worse, what if Rhyannon picks mine before I can?”

The little black dragon was already pacing again, throwing nervous glances to the larger of the two younglings sharing the clearing with them and Flint had to lower his wide red and yellow streaked head to her height and snort a quick burst of smoke again to attract her attention.

“You’re not going to make the wrong choice, young one. Only a few generations ago, dragons would choose their Captain moments after breaking their shell and still most of the pairings were successful. Now we find our companions when we know the humans, and the world around us, a little better.” The firebreather nudged Gostegion gently with his nose. “You’re going to know exactly who your Captain is the moment you see him or her,” Flint added reassuringly as the Calling Bell rang the first time.

The firebreather looked up at the sound and gave what, between dragons, passed for a crooked grin before stretching out in a leisurely fashion, yellow and white mottled wings spreading out into the morning sunlight. “Time to go younglings,” he roared out to the others. “Remember, each time the Calling Bell rings, enter the parade ground one at a time, by seniority.” The other three mumbled their understanding, nervous talons scratching deep furrows in the packed dirt while three tails renewed their efforts to swipe the ground clear of anything not large enough to resist their fidgeting owners.

Flint chuckled at the sight and sprung into the air, his wings easily catching the breeze as he lifted up and out of the clearing. The little ones would soon learn to trust their instincts and on the other side of the trees he had someone who had been waiting for both their wounds to heal for over a decade.

It was time for a new Captain.


End file.
